IP Library Granted Patent US 12,478,538
Granted Patent B2
US 12,478,538 · App. 18/129,207 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Walking assistant device deformable based on thigh shape

Inventors: Byungjune Choi (Suwon-si, KR); Youngbo Shim (Suwon-si, KR); Minhyung Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Younbaek Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Jongwon Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Segon Roh (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
A61H3/00A61H2201/165A61H2201/1671A61H2205/088A61H2205/108
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,478,538
App. No.
18/129,207
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A walking assistance device deformable based on a thigh shape includes a hip joint actuator, an upper thigh frame connected to the hip joint actuator and configured to receive power from the hip joint actuator and rotate about a first axis and rotate about a second axis intersecting the first axis, a motion frame connected to the upper thigh frame, the motion frame including a plurality of segment frames configured to rotate relative to each other, and a lower thigh frame connected to the motion frame.

Claims (30)

1 . A wearable device configured to be worn by a user, comprising:

an upper thigh frame;

a lower thigh frame;

a motion frame connected between at least the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame, the motion frame including a plurality of segment frames, each of the segment frames being pivotal relative to at least one other segment frame, the plurality of segment frames including a upper segment frame and a lower segment frame;

a rotary shaft connecting the upper segment frame and the lower segment frame;

an elastic body enclosing the rotary shaft; and

a stopper configured to restrict an angle of rotation of the upper segment frame with respect to the lower segment frame,

wherein the motion frame is configured to allow an angle between the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame to be adjusted using the rotary shaft, wherein the motion frame is configured, using the rotary shaft, to pivot relative to each of the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame,

wherein one end portion of the elastic body is configured to be fixed to the upper segment frame, and the other end portion the elastic body is configured to be fixed to the lower segment frame,

wherein the stopper extends from the lower segment frame toward the upper segment frame, and

wherein the upper segment frame includes a first upper hollow for simultaneously accommodating the stopper and the one end portion of the elastic body.

2 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the motion frame is configured to adjust a set distance between the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame.

3 . The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hip joint actuator rotatably connected to the upper thigh frame;

a waist wearable portion coupled to the hip joint actuator and having a length adjustable based on a waist circumference of the user; and

a thigh wearable portion having a length adjustable based on a thigh circumference of the user, wherein the lower thigh frame is connected to the thigh wearable portion.

4 . The wearable device of claim 3 , wherein the hip joint actuator is supported by and positioned against the waist wearable portion.

5 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein said motion frame comprises first, second, and third segment frames, the second segment frame being located between and connected to the first and third segment frames, and wherein the second segment frame is configured to pivot about a first axis relative to the first segment frame, and to pivot about a second axis relative to the third segment frame.

6 . A wearable device configured to be worn by a user, comprising:

a waist wearable portion configured to be wearable on a waist of a user;

a thigh wearable portion configured to be wearable on a thigh of the user;

a hip joint actuator supported by the waist wearable portion and configured to generate torque;

an upper thigh frame coupled to the hip joint actuator and configured to rotate about a first axis based on the torque from the hip joint actuator;

a lower thigh frame coupled to the thigh wearable portion;

a rotary shaft;

an elastic body enclosing the rotary shaft;

the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame are configured so as to allow an angle between the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame to be adjusted via rotation about the rotary shaft, wherein a motion frame is provided between the lower thigh frame and the upper thigh frame, the motion frame comprising a plurality of segment frames, each of the segment frames being pivotal relative to at least one other segment frame, the plurality of segment frames including a upper segment frame and a lower segment frame, and wherein the motion frame is configured to allow an angle between the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame to be adjusted using the rotary shaft, wherein the rotary shaft connects the upper segment frame and the lower segment frame, and wherein one end portion of the elastic body is configured to be fixed to the upper segment frame, and the other end portion the elastic body is configured to be fixed to the lower segment frame, and a stopper configured to restrict an angle of rotation of the upper segment frame with respect to the lower segment frame,

wherein the stopper extends from the lower segment frame toward the upper segment frame, and

wherein the upper segment frame includes a first upper hollow for simultaneously accommodating the stopper and the one end portion of the elastic body.

7 . The wearable device of claim 6 , wherein the hip joint actuator is supported by and positioned against the waist wearable portion.

Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2019-0138713 · Nov 1, 2019 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17730394 · Apr 27, 2022
Continuation 16884601 · May 27, 2020
Related Publication 20230233397A1 · Jul 27, 2023
References Cited (121)
US 7314458B2 · Bodenschatz · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 9931265B2 · Shim · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10064779B2 · Ha · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10070982B2 · Kim · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10335341B2 · Shim · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10806603B2 · Choi · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20040158175A1 · Ikeuchi · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20060064047A1 · Shimada · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20080108918A1 · Joutras · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20100036302A1 · Shimada · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100049102A1 · Yasuhara · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100069805A1 · Kruijsen et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100094188A1 · Goffer · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100298746A1 · Shimizu · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20110264015A1 · Endo · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20130012852A1 · Imaida · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130131560A1 · Ferguson · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130204168A1 · Bombard · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130331744A1 · Kamon · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140018216A1 · Hatfield · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140330431A1 · Hollander · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140358053A1 · Triolo · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150018739A1 · Threlfall · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150025423A1 · Caires · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150142130A1 · Goldfarb · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150196403A1 · Kim · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150272809A1 · Accoto · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150272811A1 · Choi · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150336265A1 · Choi · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150351995A1 · Zoss · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150366740A1 · Endo · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160016307A1 · Choi · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160045385A1 · Aguirre-Ollinger · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160107309A1 · Walsh · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160151227A1 · Choi · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160206498A1 · Kazerooni · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160206499A1 · Shim · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160262969A1 · Ohta · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160331624A1 · Sankai et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170014993A1 · Barnes · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170020692A1 · Lee · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170027735A1 · Walsh · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170035584A1 · Ha · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170035640A1 · Hyung · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170086990A1 · Choi · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170143574A1 · Choi · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170151083A1 · Lee · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170181917A1 · Ohta · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170252254A1 · Velazquez Nino · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170319421A1 · Julin · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170348176A1 · Herr · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170360645A1 · Sodeyama · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170367852A1 · Kazerooni · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180098907A1 · Aguirre-Ollinger · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180116827A1 · Lim · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180116828A1 · Quinn · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180146890A1 · Kim · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180147108A1 · Lee · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180161181A1 · Roh · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180161188A1 · Zistatsis · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180177670A1 · Shim · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180193172A1 · Smith · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180200878A1 · Tsai · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180272525A1 · Kumeno · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180280178A1 · Shimada · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180296422A1 · Sawicki · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180325764A1 · Yagi · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180338883A1 · Chavarria · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190015287A1 · Witte · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190021932A1 · Roh et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190070059A1 · Dalley · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190142680A1 · Park · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190142682A1 · Tung · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190240524A1 · Nasiri · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190254915A1 · Nam · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190262211A1 · Son et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190274912A1 · Nam · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190283235A1 · Nam · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190299421A1 · Kim · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190343707A1 · Riener · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190358807A1 · Ohta · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190380904A1 · Panizzolo · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200030179A1 · Schwenn · 2020 [cited by examiner]
CN 105105987A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 108095980A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108273236A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108938336A · 2018 [cited by examiner]
CN 109223454A · 2019 [cited by examiner]
CN 109803730A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110103207A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110169890A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
EP 2923686A2 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
EP 3132783A2 · 2017 [cited by examiner]
JP 200675254A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009240488A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016150420A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 201861663A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 101431383B1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
KR 101539552B1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020150112592A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020170019175A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
KR 101736193B1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020190074693A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018236225A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2019173184A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2020230974A1 · 2020 [cited by examiner]
Machine translation of written description and claims of CN108938336A via espacenet (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
Machine translation of written description and claims of WO2020230974A1 via espacenet (Year: 2019). [cited by examiner]
Machine translation of written description and claims of CN109223454B via espacenet (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
U.S. Appl. No. 16/884,601, filed May 27, 2020; Choi et al. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report dated Feb. 2, 2021 for International Application No. PCT/KR2020/014850. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion mailed Feb. 2, 2021 for International Application No. PCT/KR2020/014850. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/730,394, filed Apr. 27, 2022; Choi et al. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report dated Oct. 11, 2022 for for EP Application No. 20881413.7. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report dated Aug. 24, 2023 for EP Application No. 23174003.6. [cited by applicant]
European Office Action dated May 6, 2024 for EP Application No. 20881413.7. [cited by applicant]
Japanese Office Action dated May 28, 2024 for JP Application No. 2022-524687. [cited by applicant]
Korean Office Action dated May 28, 2024 for KR Application No. 10-2019-0138713. [cited by applicant]
European Office Action dated Jul. 8, 2024 for EP Application No. 23174003.6. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action dated Mar. 3, 2025 for CN Application No. 202080076610.3. [cited by applicant]
Second Office Action for CN Application No. 202080076610.3 issued Jul. 15, 2025 and English translation, 15 pages. [cited by applicant]